A new group has recently formed to address the issue of paid street fundraisers, often referred to as chuggers, who frequent Grove Street on a regular basis.
Chuggers have been reported as a problem by both residents and retailers in the main towns across Cheshire East, including Wilmslow.
Cllr Rod Menlove explained "A small staff group has been set up to evaluate the legal framework under which 'chuggers' operate and to see what the options could be for control and enforcement. This will include what actions other councils take and what recent legislative changes could apply. Other interested parties will also be invited to participate."
He added "All too often, I have received reports that 'chuggers' are causing a general nuisance in Wilmslow and are here far too often. I was therefore delighted to be invited to join this group. It is very early days and we are several months away from any recommendations and these would need to go through the formal Cheshire East evaluation systems anyway. Any scheme would need to be piloted in a town and I am determined that this will be in Wilmslow so that we benefit from the earliest action possible."
Wilmslow Police and Wilmslow Town Council have been invited to select representatives to join the Wilmslow Partnership 'Chuggers' sub-group and the invitation will be extended to Wilmslow Business Group.
Wilmslow Town Council discussed the invitation at their meeting on Monday, 20th October, where councillors were invited to express their views on the presence of chuggers in Wilmslow.
Cllr Hilary Shepherd said "I am totally against them. I think they put quite a bit of pressure on you even though they are not actually cash collecting and I think it's unnecessary."
Cllr Christopher Dodson commented "I do find it obnoxious and I am concerned also that it may actually deter shoppers and therefore be damaging to Wilmslow businesses. So if there was any way of discouraging it, whether this requires a change in the law, I would encourage it. I would suspect at our level we can't do anything about it."
Cllr Ruth McNulty added "We need to be doing what we can to deter these people."
Wilmslow Town Council agreed that they should support any action to deter chuggers in Wilmslow and nominated Cllr Hilary Shepherd to attend and participate in the Wilmslow Partnership 'Chuggers' sub-group as a representative of Wilmslow Town Council.
The first meeting of the 'Chuggers' sub-group took place at Wilmslow Leisure Centre at the beginning of the month, attended by representatives of Cheshire East Council and the police. The next meeting will be on Thursday 13th November at 2.30pm in Wilmslow Leisure Centre.
Comments
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How many more promises are on the horizon prior to the vote at Wilmslow East. I think we can safely assume that the Conservative party machine is now officially in over-drive.No surprises there then.
No? Me neither.
Ban them.
Surely Cllr Menlove must know it is for a local authority, i.e. Cheshire East in this instance, to issue Street Trading Licences.
Cllr Menlove would seem to be determined to make a dogs dinner of the solution to this vexing problem by boldly stating "..it is very early days and we are several months away from any recommendations and these would need to go through the formal Cheshire East evaluation systems anyway. Any scheme would need to be piloted in a town and I am determined that this will be in Wilmslow so that we benefit from the earliest action possible."
No need for endless and needless, cost consuming meetings with the police, Wlm Business Group, WTC, interested groups and Uncle Tom Cobley and all, nor a "formal Cheshire East evaluation system..."
All time consuming, all money consuming.
Real concern would mean taking the all ready available route, not as he suggests, endless meetings. Xmas is coming up, now is the time to act.
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